To Win or To Lose
by citylights319
Summary: The annual Rangers Gathering was taking place. And then it wasn't. Something was wrong.
1. Gathering

**I really don't know how this is going to turn out. Read the bottom after.**

Disclaimer: Yeah, I own Ranger's apprentice… Nahhhhh.

CHAPTER 1: Gathering

Will Treaty rode into the clearing. It was time for the annual Ranger's Gathering. And it was Will's first as a Ranger and not as an apprentice. He'd missed the last one when he was in Macindaw. And he really wanted to miss this one too.

He was embarrassed really. The amount of praise and attention he was getting now was quite… annoying. So he had killed a Kalkara, so he knew and saved the Crown Princess Cassandra , so he helped win a battle against the Temujai, so he had fought against Kerin and his men who had tried to siege Macindaw. So what?

"So what, what?"

Will nearly fell of Tug. He had spoken aloud.

"Gilan! Don't do that! I didn't even see you!" Will said exasperated. Gilan grinned.

"What's wrong with that?" he replied. Will shook his head.

"Come on," he said and Gilan whistled for Blaze and they rode towards Halt to set up camp.

"You never answered my question," Gilan remembered.

"What question?" Will asked innocently. Gilan gave him a look.

"Don't give me that." Will laughed and then frowned again.

"Well?" Gilan prompted.

"I don't know. I just don't like the attention. I mean come one. Don't people have anything else to do with their lives than gawk?"

Gilan grinned. "Well my young Will. That's the price you have to pay for fame."

Will just shook his head and they rode on.

Inside camp there was none of the "gawking" that Will was embarrassed about. In fact, besides the usual "hi" and "hello" they pretty much ignored him. Will wasn't sure if he should be thankful or annoyed.

Will and Gilan set up their tent next to Halt's and Crowley's.

"Hey Halt," Will grinned at his former master.

"Will," Halt smiled. "How're you doing? How's it going at Redmont?"

"It was a bit busy last week with some robbers but the fanfare has died down." Halt nodded and they continued talking.

For a good four hours there was solid testing on the rangers' apprentices. The steady thrumming of the bowstring and the whistling of the arrows through the air was soothing to Will as he assessed three apprentices. Nervous as they were to have the famous Will Treaty testing them, they all passed.

It was now dark. The apprentices stuck to themselves while the rangers sat around the fire. Will joined them, somewhat uncomfortable as they were all the more experienced rangers. Unbeknownst to Will, he was greatly admired by apprentices and rangers alike. Will was one of them, in their eyes and even if he didn't do all of those things he would still be one of them.

Will sat down next to Halt and Crowley, Gilan on Halt's other side.

"I see the apprentices passed," Halt remarked.

Will smiled, "They won't be apprentices much longer.

Crowley laughed. "I cannot wait to see their faces on graduation day."

Will smiled, remembering the trick that was pulled on him that day too.

"What's planned for tomorrow?" Gilan asked.

"We'll probably finish off those assessments and then have some competitions of our own," Crowley answered.

Will sat quiet, watching and listening. He had this feeling in his gut. A bad one.

**For some reason, writing a Ranger's apprentice fanfiction is really hard. I don't know why. When I finish this story I'm probably going to do one-shots only in this section. Because I can think up really good parts of a story but I can't work everything into a story. Bear with me on this one. I hope it comes out good. **

**Reviews would be nice. [Hint hint]**


	2. The Bad One

**Disclaimer: I wish. **

CHAPTER 2: The Bad One

The fire was starting to die down. A ranger was just getting up to turn in when hoof beats reverberated in the night air.

"Will!" the figure in white yelled, panting.

Will couldn't believe his eyes.

"Alyss?" he called.

Murmurs started. Very few people were to know where the rangers had their gathering and Will Treaty told the courier he saved?

"How does she know where the gathering was, Will?" Gilan asked seriously. But Will didn't hear any of it. Something was wrong. Alyss pulled her horse up and got down. Will suddenly got up and ran toward her.

"Alyss?" he said again. He gasped. "What's wrong?" Her face was tear streaked and grimy and her clothes were dusty and, was that…? Blood?

"Alyss! Is that blood?" Will exclaimed. The murmuring immediately evaporated. Alyss held on to her side.

"It's a scratch. Will listen! Listen to me!" Her face was scared and she seemed to be choking on her words.

"What? What is it!" Will asked urgently, putting his hand on her shoulders.

Alyss finally managed to speak.

"The kingdom Will! The King and Cassandra and all the knights of Araluen." She gasped again. "The kingdom is under attack! We don't' know who they are. Everyone is fighting for their lives! Form the farmers to the King himself!"

There was total silence for one second. Then whistles sounded through the air as the rangers called for their horses. They ran to get their weapons. Will whistled for Tug.

"Come on Alyss!" They both rode hard. Thousands of thoughts were flickering through Will's mind. The enemy knew that every Ranger would be at the gathering today. How? Forget that! Who were they? Alyss didn't know. And she knew what most of Araluen's enemies looked like. If they weren't the Scotti, weren't the Temujai, were certainly not the Skandian's then who?... The Ariidi? **[AN I don't' remember how to spell that.] **No. Who?

"Describe them Alyss!" Will said.

Alyss shook her head. "I don't know Will. All I could tell you is that their olive skinned, black hair, and they don't speak Araluen." "I was with Cassandra and then the whole place was in uproar. King Duncan himself sent me." Alyss' face was now dry and a certain calm had come about her.

After what seemed like hours they finally neared Araluen. The clash of steel against steel could be heard throughout the land. The ranger all reached at about the same time, pulling us to survey the blood and carnage from both the enemy and the knights of Araluen.

Will shook his head. Something had to be done.

**I really don't like how this is going. Ideas anyone?**


End file.
